S3 E21 Posse Comitatus
by JDPostEpisodeChallenge
Summary: written by kcat1971 (This one kind of covers the whole arc from S3 E19-21: The Black Vera Wang, We Killed Yamamoto & Posse Comitatus. I recommend watching all three.)


Donna walks into his office and slams the door. He looks up in shock. She's not prone to dramatic outbursts.

"This really burns my ass!"

He can't help the grin that breaks out on his face. It's been a shitty day. Honestly, the worst since he started this job. Truthfully, he feels worse than the day he was shot. At least that wasn't his fault.

But Donna's back and she's going to say something ridiculous about her trip to Bismark and he'll be able to banter with her for a few minutes and he'll feel better. That's what they do.

"Do tell, Donnatella. What burns your ass?"

He tries not to think of what a fine ass it is. He's looked at it often enough, but he always tries to fight back the feelings it invokes.

"Amy. I heard what happened. And I'm sorry, but I just can't stay silent anymore."

His head starts to buzz. He can't do this. Not right now. He needs to win this vote. His job depends on it. The President made it clear. He's had enough of his screw ups. This is his last chance. He can't focus on his crumbling relationship with Amy or how he feels about it. If he loses this vote, he's going to resign. It's better than being fired.

"Donna," He says weakly, trying to cut her off. But she's too fired up.

" _JOSH_ , she didn't just lobby to change the marriage incentives. She's actively working to take down the entire bill, the majority of which is great. She's actively working the right into a frenzy. And she's not being professional. She destroyed your phone! She's not just being a bad democrat. She's a bad girlfriend. She doesn't love you, she loves fighting with you."

She notices the stricken look on his face and stops. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's none of my business. I'm sorry."

As she turns and flees his office, he notices that Donna looks as stricken as he feels.

But he doesn't have time for this right now. He has to win a vote.

. . . . .

He tries to keep the conversation relaxed but professional with Toby. He doesn't feel great about how they accomplished it, but it's done. He did his job. And he still has a job. As he hangs up the phone, he sees Donna standing there watching him.

"You did all right, okay?" She says cautiously.

"I bought her boss."

"Yeah, that's how you had to win this one." She bites back her comment that it's not like Amy played fair either. "You think her job's really in jeopardy?" She doesn't care if Amy gets fired. But she knows how much it will tear Josh up to have caused it. He won't even see that it's her own fault.

"No, she'll lose it for sure. Anyway, good job." He gets up to leave. "See you tomorrow."

She's a little surprised. He worked hard for this.

"You're not gonna stick around for the vote?"

"We won by eight."

Donna watches him leave. Wondering if he's going back to his place or if he's going to try to comfort Amy.

. . . . .

He's emotionally drained when he let's himself into his apartment. A huge fight with Amy broken up by the news of Simon Donovan's shooting. He'd left right after he hung up the phone. Not that Amy hadn't tried . . . but her platitudes about Simon being a good man taken too soon didn't help. Amy didn't understand that it wasn't just about Simon. Just hearing about the shooting effected Josh on a molecular level. He's starting to hear music. And if he's going to fall apart, he doesnt want to do it in front of Amy.

He walks in, drops hi backpack, and flips on the light.

"Hi."

Donna's voice is soft and low. She's clearly trying not to startle him. He's only a little taken back to find her in his apartment. She used to spend a lot of time here. Before Cliff. Before Amy. He never asked for the key back. Why should he? She's his best friend.

He was planning on fixing himself a drink, but instead he flops down on the couch next to her.

"Hey." He takes in her red-rimmed eyes. "I guess you heard."

"Yeah." She sniffles. "I didn't really know him that well. But it hit me harder than I expected. All I keep thinking was I could have been in CJ's shoes. You could have been dead with me never telling you . . ."

Her voice breaks and he opens his arms. She falls into them and he holds her tight.

Then it hits him what she's saying.

"Without telling me what?" He asks over the top of her head, glad that her face is buried in his chest and he doesn't have to look into her eyes.

Yes, he's being a bit of a coward. He's pretty sure he knows what she's going to say. He's come close to saying it over the years too. But he can't say it first. _He can't_. Not while they are still in the White House. Not while she's still his employee.

He feels her take a deep breath and he wonders if she's going to do it. Wonders if she can hear how wildly his heart is beating. Wonders if he wants her to say it or if this will end up being just another one of those awkward moments meant to be ignored.

Donna pulls back. She looks him in the eye and she says it.

"I love you."

She always has been the braver one. But she gives him strength.

So he kisses her. Not timidly. Not carefully. He kisses her like he's wanted to kiss her for the past three years.

And the music in his head stops.


End file.
